Füneral Rain Press Cörps

Genre: Progressive Metal
Label: Independent

I’m going to start off this review by asking a very simple question: WHY THE FUCK ISN’T SCOTT MOSHER A HOUSEHOLD NAME YET?!?!?!

Seriously though, why don’t more people worship at The Alters of Mosher? The guy has been kicking around about the progressive metal scene since 1996 and I think I maybe know one other person who has ever had the pleasure of hearing Mosher’s genius! It’s MADDENING!!!

Anyway, Oceans Of Night is the official team moniker of previously mentioned guitar virtuoso Scott Mosher, vocalist extraordinaire Scott Oliva and new kid on the kit, Alan Smithee. And after the critical praise they received for The Shadowheart Mirror, it’s no surprise that they’re back and ready to drown us all in an ocean of progressive metal with Domain.

If any of you out there are familiar with Arjen A. Lucassen, then you’ll feel right at home with Mosher’s calmingly ethereal one minute, hellish thunderstorm of sonic destruction style of powerful progressive axemanship. If you’re not, then this will all be new to you and I envy you since you’re listening to unadulterated AWESOME for the first time. Not to be outshone (which could of easily happened to anyone else) Mr. Oliva sits comfortably in the forefront, belting out pan-dimensional lyrics with one of the more powerful voices that progressive music has to offer.  The only time you aren’t in Oliva’s godlike presence is during Instruments Of Fear, where Mosher and Smithee tear shit up for a little over four minutes. A bitchin’ instrumental track if there ever was one before! And last but not least, Smithee. How we ever got along without you prior to this, I’ll never now. His three balls out method of beating is unrivaled in this realm, unquestioned. You would be hard up trying to match his talent with anyone else in progressive music today… well, there IS Ed Warby. But that’s one hell of a complement if you ask me!

It may seem like I’m ejaculating all over this band purely in the name of fandom, but I assure you that I’m being 100% serious with my opinions in this review. I love this group that much! And honestly, so should you!

Overall: Domain is pure, uncut, unrefined Colombian (er, New Yorkian) progression perfection! It’s every bit as good as The Shadowheart Mirror and everything anyone could of asked for from Oceans Of Night! Easily one of the best albums of 2011!

10/10

Oceans Of Night Official  
Oceans Of Night On Facebook

Genre: Progressive Metal
Label: Season of Mist

This happy little EP is coming out on transparent blue 10″ vinyl and CD. And by happy I mean boner-inducing prog metal happy.
Sing-along choruses are put to real effective use on Carbon-Based Anatomy, especially in my favorite track, “Box Up My Bones”, while crunchy heavy riffs are under the leads that soar and spin with grace, beauty, and perfection. The lush sounds, amazing solos, and beautiful singing that Cynic fans have come to enjoy ever since Focus are even more omnipresent here. Synths bubble and churn, with precise drumming that has a real human hand attached to it, and both are still done by Sean Reinert. The bass work is, as usual, amazing, taken care of by Sean Malone, who is no longer in the band.
There is a real sense of wonder with Carbon-Based Anatomy, a feeling of freedom and exploration heretofore only really glimpsed at with Focus and Traced in Air. It is as if the guys picked up their instruments and said “Play. No matter what comes out, if it’s pushing the Cynic envelope, it’s good to go. No limits, no compromise.” It’s inspiring to say the least, and I can’t wait for my record to arrive.
9 out of 10.

Cynic on Facebook.

Genre: Black Metal, Progressive, Power Metal
Label: Independent

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what would happen if you fused power metal with progressive rock, black metal and Powerglove, then I have a metal health crisis number for you to call, as well as your answer: Enceladus’ Elden Daemon. If that isn’t enough to rev your curiosity engine, then click away now. The rest of this review will bore you as you’ve obviously done everything there is to do and have heard everything there is to hear.

Right from the get go Elden Daemon does appear to shy away from the challenge of alienating convention. The vocalist blends clean vocals with raspy blackened growls. Complements are to be dealt out accordingly for the rest of the band: black metal riffs that break off into progressive territory and then swing back around to power/heavy metal chords. The drums start up and stop so damn fast that you’ll find yourself back tracking a couple of seconds at a time, to make sure that the brutal pedaling you just heard was really there and not just a figment of your imagination. The addition of keys is expected for this kind of tomfoolery. I foresaw them being overused and that they were going to be high in the mix, blotting out the rest of the awesome… I was wrong. The keys blended wonderfully and didn’t come off as “fruity” as they do in some other bands. I wished that they would of added a little bit more of the 8-bit element though… but that’s just me.

Overall: Like I sort of mentioned before, this album isn’t afraid of taking risks. And for that alone, it deserves your attention. Then you add on the fact that every risk offers it’s own reward for you, the listener, and you’ve got yourself and instant classic old chum!

9/10

Enceladus On MySpace

Genre: Progressive Metal
Label: Metal Blade Records

And finally we come to The Ocean’s forthcoming and fifth full length release, Anthropocentic. This time, the lads of The Ocean turn the all seeing eye of the universe on themselves (or the whole of humanity, at least) and spill stories about the human experience… or condition. It’s all relative.

I’m not sure if it’s rightfully so or not, but Anthropocentric seems like a continuation of Heliocentric… Naw, I’m sure it was intentional. I guess it would be more like a counterpoint to Heliocentric. I’m not entirely sure why they didn’t just release the two as another double disc set like Precambrian?

Anyway, The Ocean once again bring their A game, giving one hundred and ten percent as per usual (since anything less would only be The Sea, I would suspect). The highlight of Anthropocentric is undoubtedly The Grand Inquisitor trilogy. I know of other bands doing what they can to emote, using a song as their voice. Hell, it’s practically what songwriting is, right? But there is a science behind it that only some songwriters can grasp (Examples: As Autumn Calls and Aryeon). The Ocean may as well put a patent on it, since they fucking perfected effective emotional storytelling with Anthropocentric and The Grand Inquisitor (parts I, II and III)!

Overall: Anthropocentric is yet another homerun for this eclectic group of harsh atmosphere generators. If you loved their previous releases as much as I did, then this album is another one you’ve got to add to your collection.

9/10

Ending Note: The Ocean is a band that must be respected. Not simply for putting out truly excellent music, but for putting out something truly different and completely unique. The time and energy that they devote to progressive metal has created a bit of a resurgence for the genre, thanks to the likes of Precambrian and Aeolian (well, all of their releases, actually) and now, it’s not exactly uncouth to claim a progressive band as one of your favorites.

The Ocean On MySpace
The Ocean Official

Genre: Progressive Metal
Label: Metal Blade Records

And next we have Heliocentric, that was released earlier this year. I’ve been looking forward to listening to this album since the first time I heard my CD player stop “whirring” after listening to Fluxion!

Heliocentric centers around semi-standard The Ocean structures (progressive riffs coupled with multiple instruments for a lush and complex sound) and a common lyrical theme: how science has been fucking religion in the ass as time marches on. Facts replacing myth and so on.

The vocal approach this time around is smattered with a few more different styles: loads more clean vocals (with Ptolemy Was Wrong reaching critical mass in the cheese department at times), a bit more of a straight up death metal style growl as opposed to a more metalcore-ish bark from earlier releases and the occasion gang shouting.

Instrumentally, this album has it’s predecessors beat. No question! There’s just as many different kinds, but their use has been honed to a fine, laser sharpened point! Viola, contrabass, trombone, vibraphone, etc… all this and the kitchen sink are introduced and handled with precision of a Master. Example: the piano is an instrument that can sound forced if not added in the proper context. But here in Heliocentric, it’s not overused, not added in superfluously and not added in just to sound classy. It’s only the center piece when needed and adds a much appreciated accent to the harsher vibes of this Heliocentric universe.

Overall: Yet another interesting outing for the deep blue collective. If you dig atmospheric metal that’s smart as hell and as deep as… well, the ocean, then you’ll love Heliocentric.

9/10

The Ocean On MySpace
The Ocean Official